With over 20 years of experience covering the Steelers for the Observer-Reporter, Dale Lolley will let you know the insider scoop. Dale can also be heard on the Steelers radio network pre-game show on WDVE-FM game days and Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. on ESPN 970-AM and WDVE during the season as a host of the Antonio Brown Show. Follow him on Twitter at @dlolleyor

I keep hearing about the Steelers signing LeCharles Bentley – from everywhere but here in Latrobe.

I'm not saying the rumor doesn't have some legs, but many times, things like this get started by an agent fishing for a contract offer for a client.

I'm not saying the Steelers couldn't use Bentley, particularly if Chris Kemoeatu continues to miss time. But I'd be surprised if the team panicked and did something. It's just not usually how the Steelers work.

If they were going to sign Bentley, they already would have done so and had him in camp from the beginning.

This morning's practice was in full pads and featured plenty of work on the running game.

James Farrior was out this morning, but it doesn't appear to be anything serious. Lawrence Timmons moved into the starting lineup, with Larry Foote sliding over to Farrior's spot.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

I kept a close eye on some of the draft picks today and here's what I came away with.

Running back Rashard Mendenhall is a quick study, which is not surprising considering his Academic All-Big Ten status in college.

The team was working on ball control with the running backs Tuesday afternoon, having the backs yank and pull on each others arms as they ran while carrying the ball in one arm.

Mendenhall had the ball pulled out of his arm on the first attempt in both his right and left arms by Mewelde Moore. But Moore wasn't getting the ball out again after that no matter what he did.

This kid doesn't make the same mistake twice.

Limas Sweed works very hard and makes an attempt to catch everything, diving for overthrown balls and giving 100 percent effort at all times.

He's going to be a good one.

Third-round pick Bruce Davis, a linebacker, is a little disappointing in the strength department. He doesn't get much of a push when working on one-on-one blocking. But some of that may be because he missed all the offseason workouts because his class at UCLA hadn't graduated yet. That's an archaic rule the league needs to do away with.

I'm also unimpressed with fourth-round pick Tony Hills, who doesn't look to have the quick feet to play tackle. He is consistently beaten to the outside by whoever he lines up against.

Maybe his future is at guard, but he'll need to get stronger to play there. That also puts the Steelers in a bit of a bind with their future plans if Hills can't play tackle.

According to Jim Wexell of SteelCityInsider.com, Casey Hampton weighed in at an impressive 365 pounds when he showed up at training camp, 25 more than the team wanted him at and 40 more than his listed weight.

That pretty much makes Hampton one of the biggest fat athletes in Pittsburgh history, though a now trim and slim Max Starks was pretty close to that weight last season.

Actually, that's not all that much heavier than what Hampton has reported at in previous camps as well.

The only difference is that Mike Tomlin decided to put his foot down with it this year. Gotta send a message.

Hampton also cost himself a nice chunk of bonus money for reporting overweight, but apparently that was not a concern to him.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Either LaMarr Woodley is going to be a beast this season or the Steelers' offensive line - and right tackles in particular - really stinks.

Woodley was unblockable in the one-on-one drills this afternoon by either Willie Colon or Max Starks.

Neither is going to be a Pro Bowler anytime soon, but they are legitimate NFL offensive linemen. So maybe Woodley is just that damn good.

I spoke with the second-year linebacker after practice and he's really raring to go this season after languishing on the bench a bit last season as a backup to Clark Haggans (?).

I know. Haggans had one of the least productive seasons of any outside linebacker in the past 15 seasons for the Steelers. And for whatever reason, they still kept running him out there.

That won't be the case this season and Woodley is going to put up monster numbers.

Somebody else who stood out this afternoon was second-year defensive lineman Ryan McBean.

They were using McBean on punt coverage and he was really getting down the field well for a 290-pounder. This team hasn't had a young defensive lineman to use as a wedge buster the past couple of seasons, but McBean could be that guy.

Rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall shows good learning ability. After being beaten a couple of times in backs-on-backers blocking, the No. 1 pick picked up his game after that and stoned some guys.

He looks good with the ball in his hands, too, slipping through holes.

The first practice is now in the books and it showed that some of these guys realize the window of opportunity is closing for them.

Anthony Smith took another hard shot at wide receiver Willie Reid - as he did several times last year in camp - and Reid popped up and fired the ball at him, touching off a scrimmish between the two that had to be broken up by teammates.

Reid later tangled with linebacker Andre Frazier on a running play after cracking down to block the bigger man.

Reid didn't back down on either occasion.

I waited to talk to Reid after practice and he had a long conversation with Ben Roethlisberger, who told the third-year receiver to let the coaches handle the cheap shots and to let that stuff go.

But the clock is ticking on Reid and he knows it. A third-round pick three years ago, he hasn't quite worked out to be what the Steelers envisioned.

And with the addition of second-round pick Limas Sweed this year, Reid is not guaranteed a roster spot.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Friday, the Steelers assured that all of their players will be under contract when they report on Sunday as the team signed its two remaining unsigned draft picks, running back Rashard Mendenhall and wide receiver Limas Sweed.

Mendenhall, the Steelers’ top pick, agreed to a five-year deal worth $12.55 million. Sweed, a second-round selection, came to terms on a four-year deal believed to be worth $3.5 million.

Mendenhall’s deal includes nearly $7 million in guaranteed money and could – at least at times this season – give the Steelers a very high-priced backfield.

Now, I like Mike, but he sounded a lot like a guy trying to convince himself that things aren't all that bad.

It is my understanding, though, that second-year man Ryan McBean has been practically living at the team's facility since getting the walking boot off his injured foot and the team has some high hopes for the 2007 fifth-round draft pick.

Also, keep an eye on undrafted rookie Kyle Clement from Northwood.

If Eason makes this team, it will be because those two didn't pan out and this team could have problems down the stretch as it did last season.

Friday, July 11, 2008

I just got off the phone a little while ago with former West Virginia University star center Dan Mozes.

For those of you outside the area, Mozes is a Washington native and signed with the Minnesota Vikings after last year's draft.

The 2006 Rimington Award winner as college football's best center, Mozes is a high-motor player who gives his all on the field.

He suffered a torn ACL in camp last summer with the Vikings while trying to make a tackle following an interception during a scimmage with the Kansas City Chiefs.

But Mozes is back on the field with the Vikings this year and has a good shot at making the roster. Starting center Matt Birk is considered one of the best in the business, but he's sat out the OTAs while trying to get a new contract. And Minnesota may not want to give him one considering he's on he wrong side of 30.

The Vikings selected John Sullivan from Notre Dame in the sixth round of this year's draft, but he's by no means a lock to make the roster ahead of Mozes. The team could, in fact, keep both around considering Birk's age and impending free agency.

Favre will likely be looking for one last shot at a Super Bowl – though he pretty much kept the Packers out of one last season with his NFC Championship performance – and my best guess is that he'll wind up in Baltimore for at least one season,

Miami is also a possibility and certainly he would make a nice mentor to Matt Ryan in Atlanta, but the Ravens have a better chance to win some games this season.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

As per several sources, the Steelers have signed fifth-round pick Dennis Dixon to a three-year contract that includes a $130,000 signing bonus.

Also, don't make too much of the Rooney family's shifting of some of the team's stock. This is something that has been coming for some time now as the NFL works to remove itself from any kind of gambling.

The family itself doesn't want to divest itself of its race tracks or the football team. You won't see the team sold to an outside source anytime soon - if ever.